SOTW: Mitsouko EDT (Modern), and Illusions

Musette has put me on the first step of the path to (possibly) loving Mitsouko. And, as an added bonus, Bois Blond.

I've always hated the smell of stale nuts or rancid oil. I seem to be particularly sensitive to that smell, so that when others are merrily enjoying nuts or a nutty pastry or something sauteed in oil of unknown age, I'm left wondering why they're not all joining me in saying, "eeew." I need my nuts to be so fresh that they have that almost-sweet scent, and I'm so picky about oil that Himself now has me sniff or taste the oil before we cook anything ambitious in it.

There are perfumes that have that stale nut scent. I've more than once noticed it in Bois Blond, and on Sunday when I tried Mitsouko again, I got a subtler version of it - subtler, but still dominating the fragrance for me.  I'm pretty sure that this is what's always put me off Mitsouko in the past.

Now, it's not as if that smell is inherently dreadful. The problem is that I associate it with food gone bad, and as long as that's true, it's dreadful for me. I've tried to dissociate it from food, but I've failed. Then Musette said this, about a "gasoline-edge" in Mitsouko. And then, on Sunday, I wore Mitsouko.

Oh. Yes. That note does definitely smell like gasoline. It smells like stale nuts, too; I can sniff it and let the interpretation go back and forth, like that picture up there. (Duck? Rabbit? Duck?) And just as I can decree that the picture is of a rabbit, I can choose to read that note as gasoline. And I'm OK with the scent of gasoline. It's weird, but I like weird. And it's not the least bit edible.

Now, this doesn't yet mean that I love Mitsouko, but it does mean that I can move past "Eew! Stale!" and have a shot at really perceiving it. This is a good thing. I owe you, Musette.

(As a side note, I've more than once mentioned getting a gasoline note from Tubereuse Criminelle. And I do still smell it, but it has essentially no resemblance to the gasoline note in Bois Blond. I don't get it.)

Image: Wikimedia Commons

SOTD: Parfumerie Generale Bois Blond

I just declared a new fragrance strategy for when I'm cranky: Wear scents that I'm trying to break myself of wanting.

Such as, for example, Bois Blond. I've discussed Bois Blond's split personality, the gorgeous sunny hayfield versus the heap of stale nuts. I don't want to want Bois Blond. It's expensive, it's limited edition, it's expensive - mostly, it's expensive. Too expensive for a scent that I don't reliably like.

But I do want it. So that's what I'm wearing today. There was a break in the rain today, and I'm also drowning myself in chocolate milk, but much crankiness remains. So I'm going to send Bois Blond into the breach and see if it survives. So far, it's not surviving very well - it's not just a stale nut day, but a sticky stale nut day.

(Off topic: While looking for a picture to represent sticky nuts, I saw a picture of bacon peanut brittle. Oh, my. I'm not sure if I'm horrified or delighted.)

Review Roundup: Is here.

Image: From Mackinac Fudge Shop. And, no, I'm sure it's not stale, I'm sure it's delicious. Wikimedia Commons.

SOTD: Parfumerie Generale Felanilla

Woohoo! I might like this one!

All right, I guess some background is called for: I love Parfumerie Generale. I love the notes list for Felanilla. But I haven't yet been able to love Felanilla.

It's the Stale Nuts Problem. Some fragrances that are otherwise lovely have a note that I read as smelling like stale nuts, or sometimes stale varnish. Is it the amber? The hay? Felanilla shares both notes with Bois Blond, and Bois Blond also has the Stale Nuts phenomenon.

But today, after it dried down, I started getting lovely whiffs of hay and sweet wood - probably the banana wood - from Felanilla. I think that with another wearing or two, I'm going to be sold.

Review Roundup: Perfume-Smellin' Things and Now Smell This and Grain de Musc.

Photo: By Takeaway. Wikimedia Commons

SOTD: Parfumerie Generale Bois Blond

Bois Blond is a puzzle.

On one wearing, it smells like a glorious melding of wood and hay and fresh air. Then, on the next wearing, it smells like stale nuts coated in stale varnish. This is, of course, just about my nose - many people consistently adore it.

Today is a stale varnish day. So today I'm resolved not to buy a bottle to replace my rapidly dwindling decant. Today I tell myself that it's a limited edition and I disapprove of limited editions. That it's expensive. That if I fall in love with it and want another bottle, I won't be able to get it. Today, it's no Bois Blond for me!

Next time, I'll once again be staring at my credit card and struggling not to pick up the phone.

Review Roundup: Aromascope and Aromascope again and Perfume-Smellin' Things and Perfume Posse and SakeCat and Nathan Branch and wine woman & song and Basenotes and WAFT  and Confessions Of A Perfume Nerd.

Edited to add to the Review Roundup.

Photo: By Jos. Wikimedia Commons. Click for details.